1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print head check method and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventionally proposed printer has an inspection unit that includes a light emitting unit, as well as a light receiving unit at a position through which ink droplets ejected from nozzles of a print head pass, an inspection unit that checks ink droplets ejected from the nozzles. (For example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-35309.) In this proposed printer, the light receiving unit sense whether or not light emitted from the light emitting unit is shielded by ink droplets ejected from the nozzles of the print head, in order to check whether or not ink droplets have been ejected from the nozzles. When a nozzle is clogged, a cleaning process is executed so that printing can start with no nozzle clogged, thereby ensuring inhibition of degradation in picture quality.